Manager reacts to win over St Johnstone

Motherwell claim win at St Johnstone

Stephen Robinson: Winning the battle is key

Goals as Reserves lose to United

Motherwell’s reserve side went down 2-1 at home to Dundee United in their final fixture of 2018.

James Scott had levelled the scores at Airdrie, but Stephen Craigan’s side ultimately lost out.

Reserves & Under 18s

Loan Watch: Championship minutes for two

Monday 17 December 2018

There were Championship minutes for two of Motherwell’s loanees at the weekend.

Jake Hastie played the full 90 minutes as Alloa Athletic twice came from behind to claim a 2-2 draw at fellow strugglers Partick Thistle.

The result keeps the Wasps just a point behind the Jags, with Jim Goodwin’s team in the relegation play-off spot.

Ross MacLean got on for 18 minutes as Morton drew 0-0 at Falkirk, with every game in the second tier remarkably ending in a draw.

A potential clash between Peter Morrison and Neil McLaughlin fell through as Stirling Albion’s game with Albion Rovers fell foul of the weather.

Picture: David Glencross

Reserves & Under 18s

Reserves lose to Dundee United

Monday 17 December 2018

Motherwell’s reserves lost their final game of 2018, as a young second string went down to Dundee United.

Stephen Craigan made five changes from the thrashing of St Johnstone, notably handing a debut to 17-year-old David Devine.

The first half was a quiet affair, in which both teams looked to be suffering from rustiness after a few weeks without a game.

The best chance arguably fell to George Newell, who got on the end of Rehman’s low cross from the left but couldn’t poke his effort on target.

Stephen Craigan made a change at half-time, bringing on Dean Cornelius for Stuart McKinstry, who seemed to add a little spark the Motherwell midfield.

‘Well’s positive start to the second half was almost undone by Appere, who closed down a short free-kick and ran 50 yards to goal but Morrison stood up well before bravely plucking the ball from the striker’s feet.

That spurred the game into life as, up the other end, James Scott saw his header come back off the post with no takers on the rebound.

Two minutes later, United were in front.

Appere went down in the box under a challenge from Morrison and the referee didn’t hesitate to point to the spot.

From 12 yards, Chalmers tucked it away despite Morrison getting a good hand on it.

Newell then almost dragged Motherwell level, just moments after Appere saw a strike chopped off for offside. It was a good ball in from the left by Cornelius and a fine header from the Englishman but Donaldson was equal to it.

Striker Scott had few chances in the game but in the 75th minute he spectacularly fired the young Steelmen back level.

From the edge of the box he spun on the ball and curled his shot beyond the helpless Donaldson.

Newell had a chance to win it with 10 minutes to go but his close-range shot seemed to loop towards Donaldon in slow motion and the United ‘keeper managed to beat it away.

Motherwell went in search of a winner but were picked off by United with five minutes left.

Robson used his pace down the left and his cross put it on a plate for Banks to cooly fire the ball past Morrison, completing a devastating counter-attack.

Reserves & Under 18s

Reserve match venue moved

Monday 17 December 2018

The reserves’ match with Dundee United on Monday, 17 December has been moved to the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie.

The game was originally scheduled to be held in Stirling. Kick off remains at 2pm.

First team

Buy your Celtic tickets now

Monday 17 December 2018

Motherwell head to Celtic Park for the first time in 2018/19 on Wednesday, 19 December.

Players speak after victory over Saints

Manager reacts to win over St Johnstone

Stephen Robinson said his side’s battling performance was well rewarded with victory at St Johnstone.

The Steelmen’s first victory in Perth in six years ended the Saints’ eight-game unbeaten run, with Tom Aldred and Danny Johnson on target and Mark Gillespie saving a penalty.

First team

Motherwell claim win at St Johnstone

Saturday 15 December 2018

Motherwell produced a solid performance on the road to win 2-1 against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

Goals from Tom Aldred and Danny Johnson marked the Steelmen’s first win on the Saints home turf in six years, and it was a resolute performance from start to finish for Stephen Robinson’s men.

The ‘Well boss made two changes from the narrow 1-0 defeat against Hearts last weekend, recalling Allan Campbell to the middle of the park and Christian Mbulu to the right hand side of a back three as Andy Rose and Alex Rodriguez-Gorrin dropped out of the starting eleven.

And before Tommy Wright’s side could settle in to the game in Perth, ‘Well found themselves a goal up after just two minutes.

David Turnbull’s corner was turned home by the arriving Aldred at the back post before Robinson’s side went on to dominate the opening stages of the match.

And soon enough, it was two. Turnbull was again involved, but his scuffed effort on goal was dealt a slice of luck when it fell kindly for the lurking Johnson.

Despite being faced with the lunging presence of Zander Clark, the striker kept his nerve and produced a deft finish to lift the ball high and beyond the Saints stopper to double the lead and bag his sixth league goal of the season.

Momentum swung in favour of the hosts for the latter stages of the first half, but they couldn’t produce the quality required to get the better of a solid Motherwell back line.

However, a brief lapse from Charles Dunne resulted in a penalty for a handball, and a golden opportunity was presented to the Perthshire side to halve the deficit.

Fresh off the back of his penalty saving heroics against Celtic though, Mark Gillespie stepped up and produced a terrific save to turn the ball round the post.

The second half started similarly to the first, with the Lanarkshire outfit controlling the match but unlike the first 45, they couldn’t convert.

Johnson was unfortunate to see a blatant shirt pull deny him a free header home midway through the second period, and it was equally unfortunate that referee Alan Muir didn’t point to the spot.

A late header from Jason Kerr pulled a consolation back for the hosts, but Robinson’s men showed their steel to hold on for all three points at a ground which proved hard to conquer in recent years.

First team

Stephen Robinson: Winning the battle is key

Friday 14 December 2018

Stephen Robinson says winning the “battle” against St Johnstone is part of the key to getting back to winning ways in Perth.

The Steelmen take on a Saints side unbeaten in their last eight matches, as they look to equal a club record of games without loss.